By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor

BRIGHTON HEIGHTS — The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) is in the process of replacing several water mains and service lines under streets in a section of Brighton Heights.

At a meeting of the Brighton Heights Citizens Federation on Sept. 12, PWSA Construction Communications Project Manager Mora McLaughlin detailed the replacement plan, which began last month and is anticipated to finish in the summer of 2025.

Work has already begun on Atkins Street and Benton Avenue. The other affected streets, in the planned order of work completion, are Wapello Street, Goe Avenue, Parviss Street, Harvard Circle, Cornell Street, Hilliard Drive, Louis Way, an unnamed alley near the aforementioned streets, Termon Avenue, Purdue Street, Wickshire Street and Pemberton Street.

Workers will be out from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays replacing water lines on those streets during the project period, though McLaughlin mentioned work on Fridays will be less common. When a road is being worked on, traffic will be limited to one lane, with flaggers alternating traffic flow from either direction. The street will be fully reopened to traffic at the end of the work day.

No parking signs will be posted around construction areas. McLaughlin noted that “no parking signs” will have the time frame of the entire construction period of the whole project posted on them, and the parking signs will likely be open again in a much shorter timeframe than the signs may indicate.

As part of the project, PWSA will replace any private lead service lines at no cost to the homeowner. However, the homeowner will need to sign an agreement to allow work to proceed, and any who do not may have water service to their property terminated due to risks of partial lead line replacements.

McLaughlin said 98% of lead line replacements use less disruptive, trenchless methods. If trenches are required, PWSA will backfill any dug up land, though will not restore any private property disturbed, such as stairs, walls or decorative landscaping.

For more information, visit pgh2o.com/water-main-replacement. McLaughlin can be contacted at mmclaughlin@pgh2o.com or at (412) 689-4137. The PWSA Lead Help Desk can be reached at LeadHelp@pgh2o.com or at (412) 255-8987.